The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-04-28
A Startling Record.

1WeAty vi more pages or The quarterly
| report of the chief Of the Bureau of Statis-
tics at Washington Just out) are devoted
to the consumption of distilled and malt
liquors and wines, !" and estimates maze by
recognized authorities are given upon va
rious features of this subject. In round
numbers, the consumption of distilled
spirits, domestic and imported, in this
country is shown to have increased from
100000 gallons in 1910 to 1900 900 in
1886; OF wines. from 1880, 900 gallons to
% 100000, and of malt liquors. from 49,
100000 to 100000 gallons. The con.
sumption per capita during the same pc
Rod decreased, as regards distilled spirits.
from about two and a half gallons o about
one and a-quarter gallons. and increased,
as regards wines, from 20 1OOths to 49,
l00ths gallons, and malt liquors from less
than one and half gallons to more than
eleven gallons.
AID elab crate statement made by Mr.. F.
N. Barrett, editor of the Neau York Grocer,
by request of the chief of the bureau, is
given, which sets forth, among other
things, that the present average expendi-
ture in this country per annum for malt
and spiritno liquors and beer at retail is
500, 100000. The drinking population is
estimated to be Tin 1861 1926, All, max
ing the average expenditure per capita
$45.90. Mr.. Barrett shows by tables coy
ering the five years from 1882 o 1886, In
elusive, that the consumption of spirits is
decreasing. while that of beer is increas-
ing, and that there is a reduced use of
wine as beverage. During the period, y
he says, 1.-THE consumption of coffee has
risen from S210 per capita to 8 l1-100
pounds. Do not these facts show that he
milder stimulants are driving out their
fiery competitor? And is it not due to the
growing agitation of the temperance ques-
tion %
Mr.. Barrett says the wholesale cost Of
the liquors. for which the re- tailers receive
seven hundred millions, is not more than
three hundred million dollars, He makes
a brief calculation of the cost of liquors
as compared with that of food, clothing.
and shelter. reach ng the conclusion that
the American people expend flom twelve
to seven dollars for the necessaries named
to every dollar paid out for liquor. Mr..
James Webb, of New York, furnishes
statement to the effect that only 10 per
cent. of the distilled spirits consumed in
this country is used for medicine and man
ufacturing purposes, 80 per cent. being
used as a beverage.
From table covering the five years end
ing with 1885. it is learned that the con-
sumption of distilled spirits per capita has
steadily increased in France from "a gall
Ions to 1872 gallons; that it has varied in
this country between one and forty-six one
hundredths in 1883, and one and twenty
four hundredths gallons in 1854 and 1885;
that the United Kingdom consumes little |
more than gallon per capita, and that the
consumption in Germany has decreased |
from one and thirty-two hundredths in |
1881 to one and fourteen hundredths in |
1885. France, during the same period,
increased her wine consumption from |
eighteen and ahalf to nearly thirty
gallons, while this country and the United !
beginning with less than half
gallon her head, show slight falling off.
In the ma ter of beer consumption during
this period. the United States increased I
her average from little less than ten to
little more than eleven gallons; the United
Kingdom held her own at about thirty
three gallons, and Germany did the same
at about twenty three gallons.